SLV remains optimistic with promotion into PCAL Mission-North Division| High school football

Upperclassmen expected to lead a Cougars team full of new faces

August 20, 2025

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sct2534 SLV football camp - web-1 — San Lorenzo Valley High senior Gabe Machado attempts to sprint past his teammate during a drill at practice as the Cougar football team prepare for the upcoming 2025 fall season. (Juan Reyes/Press Banner)

San Lorenzo Valley’s football team lost a total of 17 seniors due to graduation following a successful 2024 campaign.

It was a massive hit for the program, yet Cougar senior team captain Gabe Machado wasn’t at all concerned about having to fill in the vacant positions.

SLV’s star two-way player said his teammates put in the extra work by participating in football camps or hitting the weight room at 6:30am.

But the most important part is they’re doing so as a team, Machado said.

“I think we’re ready,” Machado said. “I don’t think [losing players is] gonna make that much of a difference. We got kids stepping up.”

SLV head coach David Grant couldn’t agree more. He said Machado along with the 11 other returning players—nine of those being seniors—have become great leaders on a team with plenty of new names on the roster.

“Just really impressed with the seniors, especially taking the lead and just really buying into the culture of hard work and everything that we’re trying to do in this program, trying to do stuff the right way,” Grant said. “Our seniors have really embraced everything that we’re trying to do.”

Machado will be joined in the backfield by junior Justin Griffis, a powerful running back who made a name for himself as a sophomore on the varsity squad.

“[Griffis has] gotten stronger in the offseason,” Grant said. “We’re definitely excited to have him back running the football for us.”

Meanwhile, Griffis is excited to reunite with his friends who played on the junior varsity team last year, and is ready to make an impact as one of the upperclassmen.

“I feel a lot better about this year now that I’m older, I’m not one of the youngest guys out here,” Griffis said. “I feel a little bit more confident now, and I like this group of people.”

Leading the way up front is senior lineman Ollin Bates, who is expected to play on both sides of the ball as a tackle and defensive end.

“Just a good all-around leader,” Grant said.

Kenji Pane, who started every game at defensive back and played some receiver in 2024, will be another name to look out for this season.

“[Pane’s] going to be a guy that we’re going to have pretty high expectations for him,” Grant said.

Myles Schindler, a senior, will take over quarterback duties with the departure of Jack Dagen. The 6-foot-2, 200-pound slinger will make his debut for SLV in the Santa Cruz County Jamboree at Harbor High School on Saturday evening.

“[Schindler] and some of the other skill guys, they’ve gone out on their own pretty much ever since football season ended last year,” Grant said. “They’ve been putting in work on their own on the weekends, after school. We got a lot of really good reps this summer.”

During the summer, SLV traveled north to compete in the Lake Tahoe Football Camp for four days in June. They also recently competed in the Harbor High tournament in July.

“After we play that and come down here and play all these teams, we’ve seen so much talent,” Machado said. “It’s like running with weights on and then letting them off.”

SLV is coming off an impressive season after it finished with a 9-1 overall record, and were runner-up in the Pacific Coast Athletic League Santa Lucia Division after going 5-1 in league play.

Despite not winning their division, the Cougars were still promoted to the Mission-North Division, where they’ll take on some familiar opponents in Watsonville, Monte Vista Christian, St. Francis, North Monterey County and cross-valley rival Scotts Valley.

“I think we’re a good fit for that division,” Grant said. “Our whole schedule altogether is a pretty tough schedule. But once we get into our league, I just think it’s going to be a good football game week in and week out…I just feel like our kids are ready to move up.”

Machado echoed his coach by saying they rightfully do belong in the PCAL’s “B”-rated tier, and he knows each week is going to be a fight.

“It’s not gonna be any easy weeks anymore, but that’s what we want,” Machado said. “We want competition. It’s gonna force us to lock in, and I think it’ll be good.”